Technical Field
The technical field relates generally to systems and methods for data center management and design, and more specifically, to systems and methods for determining airflow dynamics in a data center.
Background Discussion
Centralized network data centers typically consist of various information technology equipment, collocated in a structure that provides network connectivity, electrical power and cooling capacity. Often the equipment is housed in specialized enclosures termed “racks” which integrate these connectivity, power, and cooling elements. In some data center configurations, these rows are organized into hot and cold aisles to decrease the cost associated with cooling the information technology equipment. A raised floor having an air plenum beneath the floor is typically used for providing cooling air to the racks. Computer Room Air Handlers (CRAHs) pump cool air into the plenum, and the cool air is distributed from the air plenum to the racks through perforated tiles having open areas. The uniform delivery of airflow to the tiles is impacted by factors such as the layout of the room, the plenum depth, the perforated tile type, and other factors. As a consequence, the actual airflow delivered through the perforated tiles can vary widely throughout a facility. Furthermore, depending on floor construction and the number and size of cable cutouts, it is not uncommon for 50% or more of available CRAH airflow to be lost through leakage paths in a raised floor system.
For a given amount of CRAH airflow, typical design goals for the plenum system are to (1) ensure uniform airflow from tile to tile, and (2) minimize airflow lost to leakage through the raised floor and cutouts. Thus, the ability to quickly estimate the tile airflow uniformity and relative amount lost to leakage is of great value in designing a new facility and assessing the cooling performance of an existing one.